Angelle Sampey

At 5’1″ and 115 pounds, Angelle Sampey has dominated professional drag racing with a ferocity that makes her one of the most successful racers—male or female—in motorsports history. With three NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championships, 46 event wins, and 45 top-qualifier awards, she’s proven that size, gender, and stereotypes don’t stand a chance against raw talent and an unshakable will to win.

EARLY YEARS

Born Angelle Monique Sampey on August 7, 1970, in New Orleans, Louisiana, she wasn’t supposed to be the racer in the family—that honor was meant for her brother Rickie. Their dad shipped him off to motocross school in California, grooming him for a racing career. Meanwhile, teenage Angelle was thrust into beauty pageants by her mom, dolled up and paraded around stages when all she really wanted was to be on two wheels. As her brother’s interest in racing faded, hers exploded. After she outgrew her childhood motorcycle and her father sold it, Angelle’s passion only intensified. She graduated from the Charity School of Nursing in New Orleans in 1995, but by then, the drag strip was calling louder than any hospital ward ever could.

The turning point came in 1991 when her then-fiancé Kevin Seeling, a young Marine, was shipped off and left her to care for his street bike. Instead of just parking it in the garage, Angelle started riding it—and discovered she had a serious need for speed. That hunger led her to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, where she honed her skills and met instructor George Bryce, who would later become a pivotal figure in her career. By 1996, she was ready to go pro.

OTHER INTERESTS

Off the track, Sampey’s life is as full-throttle as her racing. She’s into mixed martial arts, bow fishing, shooting at the gun range, and playing golf—basically, anything that requires grit, precision, and a competitive edge. She also has a serious soft spot for animals and spends her downtime caring for her menagerie of pets. After marrying Seth Drago, the couple opened Coral Fever, a saltwater aquarium business in Mathews, Louisiana, where they specialize in reef maintenance and custom tanks. Oh, and there’s also the story of how she once told someone she wanted a Suzuki dealership, a red six-speed Corvette, and a pet monkey—and within 24 months, she had all three. Because when Angelle Sampey wants something, she makes it happen.

EARLY SUCCESS

Sampey’s professional debut in 1996 was nothing short of explosive. At just her fourth entry, she won her first race in Reading, Pennsylvania—and she didn’t just win. She was also the number one qualifier and reset the National E.T. record. It was a statement race, the kind that makes everyone in the pits sit up and take notice. She joined George Bryce’s Star Racing squad as a teammate to another promising rider, and together they began reshaping what Pro Stock Motorcycle racing looked like. Her rapid ascent was fueled by raw talent, relentless training, and an almost scary level of focus. By the late ’90s, she was consistently landing on podiums and setting records, proving that her Reading win wasn’t a fluke—it was just the beginning.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1996: Won her first NHRA race in Reading, Pennsylvania, at just her fourth professional entry, while also earning the number one qualifier spot and resetting the National E.T. record[1].
• 2000: Won her first NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Championship after a devastating near-miss in 1999[2].
• 2001: Claimed her second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Championship[3].
• 2002: Secured her third NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Championship, tying Shirley Muldowney’s record for female world titles in NHRA competition[4].
• 2007: Set the National Pro Stock Motorcycle elapsed time record with a 6.871-second run at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, on June 23[5].
• 2019: Made a bombshell move to the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team after years racing Suzukis, marking a major shift in her career[6].
• 2020: Earned her long-awaited first Harley-Davidson victory, solidifying her versatility across manufacturers[7].
• 2024: Won her first NHRA national event on four wheels in Top Alcohol Dragster at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania, marking a new chapter in her racing evolution[8].

Her career stats are staggering: 46 event victories (second-most wins for any female in NHRA history), 45 top-qualifier awards (an all-time class record), and three world championships. She’s not just the winningest female in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle—she’s one of the winningest, period.

INSPIRATIONS

Sampey’s drive to race came from within, fueled by a fierce independence and a refusal to be pigeonholed. While her brother was expected to carry the family racing torch, she grabbed it herself and ran. Her journey wasn’t about proving doubters wrong—it was about proving herself right. Becoming a mother to her daughter Ava Jane shifted her perspective but didn’t dim her fire. “The job of a role model is to show your children what is possible,” she explained. If anything, motherhood added fuel to her competitive spirit, showing her daughter that you can be a mom, a businesswoman, and a badass racer all at once.

REPUTATION

Sampey’s reputation in the racing world is rock-solid. She’s respected not just for her trophy collection but for her consistency, her work ethic, and her ability to adapt. After stepping away from racing to focus on family and her aquarium business, many wondered if she’d lost the edge. But when she returned, she came back sharper than ever. Her partnership with teams like Star Racing, Don Schumacher Racing (where she was sponsored by the U.S. Army from 2003 to 2007), and Vance & Hines proved her ability to thrive in different environments. Even after parting ways with Vance & Hines in 2022, she didn’t slow down—she pivoted to Top Alcohol Dragster with AB Motorsports, mentored by Top Fuel legend Antron Brown. Her reaction times sharpened, her confidence soared, and at 54 years old, she’s still in the gym every day, still learning, and still hungry. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my career,” she said. “I don’t feel my age.”

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

For 2025, Sampey will continue racing in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster as part of the AB Motorsports Accelerate program, this time in a closed-canopy car. The transition from two wheels to four has been exhilarating, and she’s not done yet. She’s eyeing more wins, more records, and continued growth in the dragster world. Beyond racing, she remains committed to being a role model for young women and proving that barriers are just things to break through. “Being a woman drag-racing motorcycles has taught me that there are no barriers you can’t overcome and that you have the power to change people’s perceptions,” she’s said. And she’s not slowing down anytime soon.

REFERENCES

Angelle Sampey – Motorsports Hall of Fame
Angelle Sampey – Wikipedia
Angelle Sampey: The Drag Queen – American Rider
NHRA Angelle Sampey – Vance & Hines
Now A Mom, NHRA Champ Angelle Sampey Still Has The Fire For Racing – ESPN
Today in Motorcycle History – August 7, 2014
NHRA: ALL-TIME Winningest Female Angelle Sampey – Dragbike.com
Professional Endorsements – Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School
Angelle Sampey Still Striving for Perfection, and a Fourth World Championship – NHRA
NHRA Champ, Keynote Speaker Angelle Sampey – AIMExpo
Angelle Sampey – Impact Racing Athlete
Angelle 2.0: Angelle Sampey Talks Top Alcohol Dragster Transition – Drag Illustrated
Angelle Sampey Going Closed Canopy for NHRA Top Alcohol Ride in 2025 – Autoweek
Angelle Sampey Revels in Long-Awaited First Harley-Davidson Victory – NHRA
Harley-Davidson and Vance & Hines Welcome Angelle Sampey – Vance & Hines
Archives Column: Angelle Sampey – Cycle News
Angelle Sampey Wins Her First NHRA National Event On Four Wheels – Dragzine
Angelle Sampey – NHRA Driver Profile
Antron Brown, Angelle Sampey Score AB Motorsports Double-Up at NHRA Reading – Drag Illustrated
500 Races and Counting: A Short History of NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle Class – NHRA
Vance & Hines Team Parts with Three-Time Champion Angelle Sampey – NHRA
Angelle Sampey Wins All-Suzuki Final at Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals – Suzuki Cycles